What does Oshi no Ko mean? — Title Explained

In the wide world of anime, there are times when a series’ title is translated to English once it has been localized. This is — likely — for marketing reasons, so the title will be more easily understood by fans in the west. But then, there are times where it’s not. 

Oshi no Ko, a manga which recently got an anime adaptation, uses its original Japanese name in both Japan and the West. So what does Oshi no Ko mean? 

What does Oshi no Ko mean?

To definitively answer this question, let’s break the title apart. In Japanese, the word “oshi,” not to be confused with “hoshi” meaning “star,” is used to describe someone you support. This word is often used in the idol or Vtuber industries to refer to that one person a fan supports, more than anyone else.

Then, the word “ko” in Japanese is used to refer to something small, like an infant or a child. To elaborate, the word “ko” is incorporated into the specific words used to describe “boys” (otokono-ko) and “girls” (on’nano-ko). But, by itself, it seems to be gender-neutral, referring to a small child.

So, taking what we know now into account, Oshi no Ko could mean many things, none of which are by any means official. It could translate to “My Favorite Idol’s Child,” or “My Favorite’s Child,” or even going back to the variant “hoshi,” it could translate to “My Star,” which would make a lot of sense.

It was also brought to my attention from members of the Destructoid staff that “Oshi” could also mean “Pressure” or “Pressured,” which could make the title “My Pressured Child” or “Pressured Child,” which also makes sense given the nature of the idol industry.

In any case, it’s really just a thought experiment, as the official localization has opted to stick with Oshi no Ko. I think it’s for the best — in my opinion, it’s a much snappier and memorable title than any of the options we’ve listed here.